About Us

Notice of Upcoming Construction – Phase 2 – September 15, 2017

Dear Neighbour:
Alliance Grain Terminal Ltd. (AGT) had previously sent a notice to the community in March 2017 informing of the start of construction for our Shipping Gallery Replacement Project. AGT received a project permit (PP 15-053) from the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority to deconstruct our existing shipping gallery and construct a new gallery at 1155 Stewart Street in Vancouver. This notice is to inform you of upcoming construction activities during Phase 2 of the project.

About AGT

AGT is an export grain terminal on the south shore of the Burrard Inlet in the Port of Vancouver. The AGT terminal is owned and operated by a group of family and farmer-owned Canadian grain companies. AGT’s operations include unloading grain from rail cars and then loading the grain onto ocean vessels, destined to customers around the world.

Project Overview

AGT’s existing shiploading infrastructure was constructed in the early 1950s and is nearing the end of its service life. AGT is therefore replacing the existing infrastructure with new shiploading infrastructure that will be more efficient and environmentally friendly. AGT’s dock will also be reinforced to support the new structure.

Our primary objective in undertaking this project is to ensure that AGT can continue to supply an essential service to Canadian farmers in a sustainable and efficient manner while at the same time reducing the terminal’s air and noise emissions.

AGT is committed to operating in a manner that minimizes impacts on the environment and surrounding area. The project design incorporates environmental protection and mitigation measures to ensure that environmental impacts can be minimized. A map showing the location of the project is enclosed.

Phase 1: March 30th, 2017 to October 30th, 2017

We are in the final stages of Phase 1 for our project. We have upgraded the foundation of the dock and installed new piles both on-land and off-shore. The caissons (foundations above existing pier structure) have been reinforced. This phase of work began on March 30, 2017 and will be completed by October 30, 2017. AGT has been operating during this phase of construction.

Phase 2: October 2nd, 2017 to August 31, 2018

The upcoming Phase 2 of construction will be deconstructing the existing shipping gallery and installing the new shipping gallery and shiploader. The new shipping gallery and shiploader will be pre-assembled at AGT’s premises, prior to installation on the dock. This phase of work is scheduled to begin with pre-assembly work on October 2, 2017 and will be completed by August 31, 2018. AGT will continue to operate during Phase 2, with exception of a period from June 1, 2018 to August 31, 2018, when operation will be shut-down in order to allow for the final installation of the new shipping gallery and shiploader. During this three-month period, construction hours will extend throughout the night (i.e. 24 hours per day) 7 days per week.

Hours of Work

The majority of Phase 2 work will occur Monday to Saturday, except on statutory holidays, during standard construction hours (7:00am to 8:00pm) and will run from October 2, 2017 to May 31, 2018. Between June 1, 2018 to August 31, 2018, work will take place 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Potential Impacts and Mitigations

We anticipate potential construction impacts on the community to be minimal with no excessive traffic, noise, or light resulting from the works. The majority of construction materials will be delivered via barge, with the removal of the old shipping gallery also via barge, greatly reducing any potential traffic impact. Noise and lighting impacts are also expected to be nominal as the areas where construction activities will occur are physically blocked from neighbouring streets and buildings by the AGT terminal. In general, we anticipate minimal negative impact on the community during construction; however, any issues that may arise will be dealt with in a prompt manner.

Activities are not anticipated to be noisy due to the nature of the work which includes the use of a crane to move metals as well as the cutting and burning of metals. Care will also be given to how lights are erected for the work. Lights will be directed to the dock and not the water to minimize any reflecting glare or interference with the neighbours.